Cellular construction of vessels



PATENT OFFICE.

'* COLL-MCDONALD, OF' MORNINGTON', DUNEDIN, NEW ZEALAND.

CELLULAR. CONSTRUCTION OF VESSELS.

V Specification of Letters Patent. Patented J n. 18 '1921 Application filed June 17, 1918. Serial No. 240,365.

ments in Cellular Construction of Vessels,

of which the following is a specification.

The presentiinvention relates to cellular construction of vessels, rendering them less vulnerable against torpedo attack, collision, or grounding, and the object of the invention is to provide a system of water-tight bulkheads, so arranging'the holds, or compartments, that in the eventof two or three holds, or compartments being flooded, the vessel will retain suflicient buoyancy to float. I I

With the above and other objects in view, which will hereinafter appear as the descriptionv continues, the invention consists of the novel features of construction, and

formation of holds, oncompartments, as

will be more fully described, andparticu larly pointed out in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings wherein like and corresponding parts are designated by similar reference numbers throughout'the several'views in which- Figure 1 is. a longitudinal section v of a vessel, showing the method of arranging the holds, or compartments.

Fig. 2 is a plan of'the vessel on the main, or weather deck.

' Fig. 3 is aplan of the vessel on the tween deck line. The invention consists in dividing the hull of a vessel intoa number of holds, or compartments, such as 1.2. 3. 4.5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10. 11.12. 13. 14. 15., etc., as shown in Fig. 1, (the number of holds, or compart ments, depending on the size, and design of the vessel) by an arrangement of watertight bulkheads, 17 18. 19. 20. 21. 22. 23. 24. 25., these bulkheads extending from the bottom hull plating, or from the tank top to the hatch coamings, and by the thwartship bulkheads 30. 31. 32. 33.34. 35., these extending from the tween decks 16., to the top of hatches 26. 27. 27 28. and 29.

The tween decks 16. extend from the fore peak bullnhead 36. to the thwartship bulkhead 20. and from the thwartship bulkhead 2.1. to the after bulkhead 37 havin openings 38. for the discharge and loading of cargo from the lower holds 2. 3. 5. 8. 9. 11. 13. and 15. i

The space between the thwartship bulkheads 20. and 22. is (in this type of vessel) reserved for the machinery and boilers, which may be isolated from each other by a water-tight bulkhead 21.

The hatches 26. give access to the lower holds 2. and '3. and the tw'een decks 1'. Accessto the lower holds2. and 3. is by way of'the trunks 40. and 41.

The hatches 27. giveaccess to the lower hold'5. and the tween decks 4. and 6. Access to the lower hold 5. is by way of the trunk 42. between the tween deck compartments 4. and 6. V

The hatches 28. give access to the lower holds 8. and 9. and tween deck compartments '7. Access to the, lower holds 8. and 9. is by way of the trunks. 43. and 44.

The hatches 29.-give access to lower hold 11. andtween deck compartments 10. and 12. Access to the lower hold 11. is by way of the trunk way 45. i

, The coam'ings 39. surround the hatches 26. 27. 27 28. and29. -These hatches giving access'to the differentcompartments.

This system of cellular construction can be adapted to any existing type of vessel, and, in the construction of newyessels, this arrangement of multiplicity of compartments would result in only a slight increase in weight, and cost over the present method of construction.

By my arrangement of compartments, the liability of damage to the cargo by water, or fire, and the risk of the vessels sinking, due to rupture by torpedo, mine, collision, or stranding, is reduced to a minimum. If the hull plates in the lower holds 2. and

3. were ruptured, allowing both these com- 7 p'artments to be flooded, the tween deck compartments 1. 4. and 6. and lower hold 5. would give sufiicient buoyancy to keep the vessel floating. This also applies to the after holds or compartments of the vessel.

This system of construction'adapts itself to vessels on long voyages, carrylng cargo fol-different ports, which can be so stowed that on discharge at the different ports, the

trim and stability of the vessel is not impaired.

My system of cellular construction is applicable to sailing vessels, as well as steamers.

I am aware that the subdivision of vesselsby means of water-tight bulkheads is not new, but am not aware that such an arrangement of water-tight bulkheads as I have invented has been usedin shipbuilding construction before.

I HaVing' thusfully described my invention,: what 1 claim as new and desire to secure by 7 Letters Patent is:

'1; A vessel having a hatch, a horizontal water-tight deck dividing said vessel'into upper. and lower compartments, and vertical a iwater-tight bulkheads sub' diyiding' said upper and lower compartments, said bulk headsforininga plurality of water-tight trunk'ways' extending'from said lower com-v partment to said hatch to afford access to the former from the latter, substantially. as described." V v 2fA vessel having a hatch, a horizontal water-tight deck dividing said. vessel into upper and lower compartments, and 'verti-' m1 w er tight hulk heads subdividing said p ments, SfllCll bulk heads form ll a plurality-0f water-tight t1'i1nl .w'ayst extending from said lower compartment to said hatch te aflord access to the former 'from the-latter, certain of. said bulk heads extendingto the bottom of said" lower: compartment, substantially as 7 described.

i 3. A. vessel having a hatch, a horizontal water-tight deck dividingfsaid vessel" into upper and lower compartments, and vertical water-tight bulk headssubdividing said upper andflo'wer compartmentajsald bulk heads. dividing said hatch and form ng a plurality of water-tight trunk ways extending from said lowercompartment to said hatch to affordaccessto the former from the latter,substant ially as described.

4. A vessel having a plurality of'hatches and a horizontal water-tight deck and V6114 tical water-tightbulk heads dividing said vessel-into an upper andva lower series of w-ater-tlghtcompartments, eachof the compartments of 'SZLlCl upper series communicating with one 'of 'said hatches, certain of said bulk heads extendingfrom said hatches to saidhorizontal deck and other of said bulk heads extending from said hatches to the bottoms of said-lower compartments, said water-tight bulk heads for subdividing said upper V compartment, and" a vertical watertight bulk head of greatereeiitent than the first named bulk-heads interposed therebetween for subdividin said lower compartbulk heads forming water-tight trunkways v inentfand forming trunk vways whereby a V plurality of lower subdivisions and 'asingle upper subdivision areaccessible from said hatch.

6.1L vessel having ahatch, a horizontal water-tight declcdividing said vessel into upper and lowerv compartments, a vertical water-tight bulk-head for Sl1bCllV1(l1I1g"Sa1l tight bulkhead-of greater extent than the first named b'ulk head for subdividing, said upper and lower compartments and forming trunk ways whereby a plurality of upper upper compartment na vertical water subdivisions and 'asingle: lower subdivision] are accessible" from said hatch.

In testimony whereof, I' affix'my signature,

in presenceof two "witnesses.

'Witnessesf r i WVILLI'AMf-Ii Kine, ROBERT McCI'NrooK.

, e oonnM DoNALD; I 

